The wait is over. The world premiere of “The Will” was held at the French festival “Series Mania”.
The new show, produced by MGM Television and based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, is set to premiere on Disney+ in April. A dramatic story of a young woman’s coming of age in Gilead.
The film follows the well-endowed Agnes (Chase Infinity, who broke out in “One Battle After Another”) and Daisy (Lucy Halliday), a newly arrived convert from across the border in Gilead, as they navigate the hallways of Aunt Lydia’s (Ann Dowd) elite prep school for future wives.
Dowd, famous for playing everyone’s favorite villain, said of Aunt Lydia, “I love her. That’s our job as actors. The first rule is don’t judge. I don’t judge her. And she became a very dear friend of mine. I got to know her, she got to know me, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
She described reprising her role as “a great joy, a great joy, a privilege, all of that.” “Imagine knowing this character for many years. How lucky can you be?”
Lucy Halliday was also in attendance at the festival and had the pleasure of catching up on both the novel and the legendary series, which ended after six seasons.
“We had a very strong source material, and we (along with Chase Infinity) were both fans of The Handmaid’s Tale. We had seen the show and read the book. Then Anne, Warren Littlefield, Bruce Miller, and Elisabeth Moss (executive producers) were involved in creating the show. We had a lot to fall back on.”
“Bruce was very open and willing to have a conversation. He would actually sit down with you and talk about what he thought the character should be, any ideas you had, or just trying to find out that his idea was your idea. It created a really great environment and you were like, “Okay, it’s a responsibility to step into this world that is so loved, but I felt safe because these people believed in me and gave me the space to step into it.” I felt, “We’re going to do a good job.” I sincerely hope that the audience feels the same way.”
Chase Infinity talked about the show’s iconic costumes.
“For all of us, we wear different costumes on the show, so that’s the first armor. All of our costumes are made to fit us perfectly, but sometimes they can be limiting. It helped us understand the physicality of our roles.”
Creator Bruce Miller and producer Warren Littlefield were also at Reel.
“Whereas ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ was about the people at the bottom of Gilead, this one is about the women at the top of Gilead. But it also shows how the top and the bottom are similar for women,” Miller told the audience.
“This is a story about the awakening and rebellion of a young woman in Gilead and the people who grew up there. That’s the expansion of the world.”
Despite the show’s darkness, “it’s important to have humanity,” Littlefield added.
“We live in a dark world, but hope comes from their strength and resilience. Anne comes from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ as Aunt Lydia. She knows that world. These young women wake up in season one and come to fight it. Let’s hope they beat it.”
At the opening ceremony, managing director Laurence Hirschberg also welcomed the international competition jury, led by Icelandic director Benedikt Erlingsson, who screened The Danish Woman just last year.
“When I came here, ‘The Danish Woman’ didn’t win any awards. It was a scandal! Now I’m here to take revenge, and by ‘revenge’ I mean the best series always wins,” he joked, joined by Alice Braga, Hatik and Cecile de France.
However, there was also a dark topic as one of the jurors, Ida Panahande, was unable to attend Seriesmania due to the ongoing war. She sent a message to the audience.
“It makes me so happy to know that somewhere in the world there are people like you, people who are trying to make this world a better place to live in. If I come back alive from this war, perhaps I will create a series that tells about the bitter days and nights that my people are facing. People who have been crushed for decades under the weight of social and political discrimination and economic sanctions, and who now live under the weight of falling missiles, have been liberated,” she said.
“When soldiers start crossing their borders, artists are suddenly not allowed to leave their borders. Isn’t that a bitter irony? I want all our soldiers to stay within their borders and rest. You know, while all artists can freely cross their borders, we’re definitely going to have a much better world.”
“Dear friends, let us condemn war, no matter the war, whether it be in Ukraine, Iran or Gaza. Let us condemn the brutal killing of children and civilians, regardless of the color of their skin or eyes. And let us not discount the promise of peace and democracy and use it as an excuse for the re-emergence of fascism.”
“In a world that is increasingly divided and fraught with violence from all sides, we must remember the role of culture as a source of guidance and enlightenment, and of festivals as places where we can come together when everything else is in flux,” said Hershberg.
She called Seriesmania an event that “gives voice to artists and their work.”
“This is a week that promotes the exchange of perspectives and opinions, and allows artists, regardless of their nationality, to express themselves freely. Here, we do not judge by passports, we look at the workings of the mind. We would like to remind everyone of an often forgotten truth: Creative freedom is fragile, and wherever that freedom is threatened, artists are the first victims.”
“To all these artists, we have one simple word to say: their work will always find a home at Seriesmania, because we know that culture is not a luxury reserved for times of peace. It allows societies to weather storms without losing their soul. It is the thread that connects humanity, transcending borders, languages, and fears.”
